Michigan State University
16-8,8-5Big Ten
Michigan
14-9,5-7Big Ten
Michigan State Falls Short at Michigan, 77-68
2/8/2020 2:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ann Arbor, Mich. – Michigan State put three players in double figures, but it wasn't enough as the Spartans fell to Michigan, 77-68, in a Big Ten men's basketball game at Crisler Center on Saturday afternoon.
Senior guard Cassius Winston (Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) scored 20 points and handed out six assists to lead MSU, while junior forward forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Catholic Central) added 17 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks and sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and two steals.
Records
Michigan State lost its third-straight game and falls to 16-8 overall and 8-5 in the Big Ten Conference, while Michigan improves to 14-9 overall and 5-7 in league play.
Summary
- Michigan State had trimmed a 29-23 halftime deficit to one point early in the second half and was down 42-40 before the Wolverines went on a 16-6 run and took a 58-46 lead on a layup from Brandon Johns Jr. with 6:51 to play.
- The Spartans pulled to within 65-59 on a layup from Tillman with 1:56 left, but Michigan hit 11-of-14 free throws in the final 1:42 to seal the win.
- The Spartans trailed by 10 in the first half and were down 29-23 at the break, but had pulled to within one point, 31-30, after two free throws from Henry, three from Winston and two more from Tillman with 17:34 to play.
- MSU trailed by one, 39-38, following a Winston 3-pointer and were down just two points, 42-40, after a driving layup from freshman guard Rocket Watts (Detroit, Mich./SPIRE Academy [Ohio]).
- The Wolverines extended their lead to 53-44 lead on a 3-pointer from David DeJulius at 10:10 and used the 16-6 run to take their biggest lead of the game
- Michigan State went into the half trailing by just six points, 29-23, despite shooting just 25.0 percent from the floor and Michigan connecting on seven 3-pointers.
- Michigan took its biggest lead of the half, 25-15, on a 3-pointer from Isaiah Livers with 5:06 to play.
- The Spartans struggled from the field, but a Winston jumper with 3:55 to play and two free throws apiece from Henry, Winston and redshirt senior Kyle Ahrens (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles) pulled MSU to within six at the break.
- Michigan State turned the ball over seven times in the first half and Michigan scored 11 points off of those.
- Michigan out-rebounded Michigan State, 46-40, and had 14 offensive rebounds.
- The Wolverines connected on 11 shots from 3-point land, including 7-of-17 in the first half (41.2 percent).
- The Spartans shot just 33.3 percent from the floor (21-of-63), including 25.9 percent (7-of-27) in the first half.
- MSU connected on 83.3 percent of their free throws (20-fo-24).
- The Spartans did not commit a turnover in the second half
- Michigan State had a four-game win streak against Michigan end.
- Michigan leads the all-time series, 101-85, including a 62-32 advantage in games played in Ann Arbor.
- Tom Izzo is 29-18 all-time against the Wolverines.
- The Spartans shot a season-low 33.3 percent from the floor (21-of-63).
- The team's 21 field goals were the second-fewest in a game this season.
- Michigan State was out-rebounded for just the fifth time this season.
- The team's 10 assists were the second-fewest in a game this season.
- Michigan State is 1-6 when scoring less than 70 points.
- Winston scored a game-high 20 points, his 13th game this season with at least 20 points and the 36th of his career.
- He now has 1,839 career points and needs 13 points to pass Sam Vincent (1981-85) for seventh place.
- Winston has scored in double figures 20 times this season and led MSU in scoring 18 times.
- Winston handed out six assists, increasing his MSU and Big Ten all-time lead in that category to 849.
- Tillman scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double this season and the 14th of his career.
- He has scored in double figures 16 times this season and 36 in his career.
- This was his 15th game this season with at least 10 rebounds.
- Henry scored in double figures for the 11th time this season and the 15th of his career.
- He also tied a season-high with nine rebounds.
Up Next
Michigan State plays the second of two-straight road games on Tuesday, Feb. 11, visiting No. 20 Illinois. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m.
